During the last five or six years, as my elderly parents were overtaken by illness and disease, our roles reversed from when I was a child. I became their caretaker, which included navigating our health care system.

My parents had a host of ailments, but principally for my mother, a 50-year smoker, it was a chronic, progressive lung disease. For my father, it was Lewy body dementia, which shares some symptoms with Parkinson’s disease, such as tremors and problems with walking or balance.

NOTICE: The Certifications conferred by the NCBAC™ (Certified Alzheimer Caregiver™ "CAC™" and Certified Alzheimer Educator™ "CAEd™") are important indicators of quality care. The NCBAC™ does not license, approve nor bestow authorization to anyone the right to practice healthcare where such license or certification is regulated by any state, municipality or other government entity.